During the recent settlement of Rotorua
lakes and Waikato river claims with iwi, Pakeha govt declared itself to be
"owner" of all water resources. A predictable action, given its past history
of stealing Indigenous land, minerals and seabed resources.

TWM has decided therefore that Pakeha govt should be "rewarded" for its
greed. Seems appropriate.
(30.08.08)

North Island records 25,000 lightning strikesNZ Herald Monday July
21, 2008
Well we had a busy weekend weather wise - at least northern and western parts
of the North Island did - with a total of 25,000 lightning strikes clocked
up from midnight Friday to 6pm Sunday... Today we'll see a short breather
- ahead of the next big winter storm. The low, which will develop during
Monday in the Tasman Sea, between Tasmania and Southland, is expected to
rapidly deepen and by mid-week will be affecting the entire country.
This system has the potential to be damaging with gale force winds affecting
much of the country on either Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday (depending on
where you live). Not only that but a polar blast will develop on Wednesday
in the far south and reach Auckland on Thursday. [...]

Clean-up under way after worst storm in decadeNZ Herald Updated Sunday
July 27, 2008Efforts are continuing to restore power to
thousands of homes after one of
the worst storms to hit New Zealand in 10 years.The weather bomb
left a trail of destruction across the North Island, cutting power to more
than 60,000 homes. Northland was hardest hit, with
winds of up to 167km/h bringing down trees and power lines, and heavy rain
flooding roads... Police said
rescuers were today using surf lifesaving vessels to try to find a canoeist
feared drowned in swollen seas off Mt Maunganui in the Bay of Plenty....Two other people have reportedly died after a boating incident
near Opotiki this morning. The storm ripped boats
from their moorings and forced the evacuation of up to 10,000 skiers from
Mt Ruapehu as 200km/h winds lashed the slopes... The
MetService described the "destructive" sub-tropical storm as "extremely rare
and nasty". [...]

'Horrible' weather not finished yetNZ Herald Sunday July
27, 2008Wet and wild weather is set to stay with us
today and most of this week. Radio Network weather analyst Philip Duncan
said that while winds dropped slightly last night, today's weather would
be rough.. Duncan said strong, cold southerlies would
blow over the entire North Island today, reaching speeds of up to 120km/h
from Taupo east... As if that wasn't enough,
Duncan said a second storm would
form in almost exactly the same place on Tuesday night. While not quite qualifying as another weather bomb... The second
storm is expected to travel down the central North Island, with rain affecting
Taranaki and Wellington and bringing severe gales to central areas. [...]

New storm forecast as weekend clean-up continuesNZ Herald Updated Monday
July 28, 2008
The country is set to be hit by another storm tomorrow before the clean-up
from the weekend's battering is completed.
Thethird storm to hit in a weekwill not be as severe as Saturday's but
will cover a larger area, the Radio Network's head weather analyst Philip
Duncan said. "Saturday's storm was relatively small in size but big in severity,
this next storm won't be as intense but will cover a much bigger area, affecting most of New Zealand"
he said... "By Wednesday it should be peaking with torrential rain likely,
that on top of the saturated soil following this weekend's storm, could escalate
the chances of flooding".Heavy rain is expected in Northland, Bay of Plenty,
Auckland, Waikato, Taranaki, Manawatu, Nelson and West Coast while severe
gales are likely in Manawatu, Wellington and Wairarapa. Thousands of homes
will still be without power today as the North Island recovers from the storm
that in some areas was the worst
in 30 years.

Stay home warning as storm powers upNZ Herald Wednesday July 30, 2008
Officials were last night warning North Islanders to stay indoors as the
region prepared to be drenched by another storm. Heavy
rain warnings were in place for much of the area and driving to work this
morning was expected to be dangerous, with heavy rain causing flooded roads,
overflowing rivers and high seas. The front, moving
from the east coast of the North Island, was due to swamp Northland with
150mm of rainfall overnight. Late last night rain
was heavy in most places but the forecast major drenching had not yet hit.
Preparations for an overnight deluge were in
place. Civil Defence staff in the storm's bullseye - Northland, Coromandel
and the Bay of Plenty, where three people lost their lives over the weekend
in a separate storm - were on alert. [...]

Weather moves into crazy modeNZ Herald Wednesday July
30, 2008
... After nothing to talk about from October 2007 until March 2008 (apart
from the drought of course) our weather has gone into crazy mode. Starting in April with torrential
rainsover Northland and Central Plateau,then snow storms in Junethen big frosts in early July
andnow 3 storms in 7 days -
2 of which considered "major" even by the most conservative of forecasters.
[...]

Mini-tornado causes major damage NZ Herald Thursday July
31, 2008
As Irene Elvy was standing in her kitchen, a mini-tornado was cutting a destructive
path towards her home. It had already snapped a power pole near Mt Maunganui's
Omanu Beach, and as it moved inland, the twister began picking up branches,
roof tiles and other debris. By the time it reached the 84-year-old's flat
1km away, the swirling mass was powerful enough to shred her roof and rip
her front ranch-slider out by the frame... Emergency services were
on the scene minutes after the twister hit at 10am yesterday, and spent several
hours securing five damaged properties in three streets with tarpaulins.
[...]

Hundreds left trapped, homeless NZ Herald Friday August
01, 2008
Hundreds of North Islanders were left homeless or trapped by blocked roads
as the raging weather that caused mass destruction moved south yesterday.
[...]

Insurance costs spiral as third storm nearsNZ HeraldSaturday August 02, 2008
As the third storm in a week heads
for the upper North Island, insurance payouts from the first two big storms
could reach $50 million. A deep, fast moving low and
associated fronts are forecast to cross northern and central New Zealand
this weekend, bringing strong winds and rain. The
Insurance Council says it is still early days, but the widespread nature
of the storms and their ongoing impact could see costs skyrocket... "This rain will be falling on already sodden ground, so further
flooding and slips are likely, and rivers and streams will swell quickly,"
said MetService spokesman Bob McDavitt. The bad weather will hamper the big
clean-up after the last storm.
Main rail and road links remained closed in the South Island... Mr McDavitt
said the storms of the last 10 days had
made July much wetter than normal, particularly in the north and east
of the North Island. [...]

Tornado lifts roofs in LevinThe Dominion PostMonday,
04 August 2008A Levin family is counting themselves
lucky to be alive after a tornado ripped through their home early this morning.
The mini tornado ripped through rural properties in Horowhenua around
4am today - just days after high winds lashed the area. It lifted a
house roof and the roof of a garage, and completely destroyed a wool shed
on Kimberley Rd near Levin. Around 25,000 households in Horowhenua, including
Levin, lost power last week after trees knocked down by high winds cut the
electricity supply. [...]

New slips in Wellington, flooding in Waikato
The Dominion Post Tuesday, 05 August 2008Two more substantial slips came
down overnight in Wellington, partially blocking roads, but not threatening
houses.
Wellington City Council spokesman Richard MacLean said today that the cleanup
from slips in the city was continuing...
Mr MacLean said Palliser Road in Roseneath and Devon Street in Aro Valley
were still closed while the council continued to clean up from the big slips
yesterday and at the weekend. A Devon Street house evacuated by five students
after a Sunday morning slip, was still vacant... In Waikato regional council
staff were still on high alert and were working to stop the swollen Waikato
River from flooding farmland. Flood pumps were operating at Huntly College
this morning, but principal Tim Foy was confident the school will re-open
tomorrow. Rising flood levels in the Waikato River forced the closure of
Huntly College yesterday and the school was to be shut again today. [...]

Another storm on the way; fears over Waikato
River levels NZ Herald Thursday August 14, 2008
A blast of freezing Antarctic air is on the way, turning rain into snow
in the South Island tonight, and turning its attention to the North Island
from tomorrow. Heavy rain, snow, gales, thunder and hail- not exactly a forecast many New Zealanders
want to hear as a large area of low pressure shifts onto the country.The Waikato
River is also precariously close to flooding over its banks and on to surrounding
roads.Western and central areas will be most exposed to the severe weather
with the main front is now moving up the West Coast. TRN's head weather analyst
Philip Duncan says it may be a restless night for some... Mr Duncan says
the weather sounds bad but probably won't cause too much damage. "This storm
covers a huge area which is a good thing - it's spreading the energy over
a much greater space which decreases it's intensity". [...]

A weather bomb
has pelted Porirua with hail the size of marbles and knocked out a Radio
New Zealand transmitter at Titahi Bay. A fierce northwest front
brought thunder, lightning and hail to the Wellington region in the past
48 hours and MetService warns that a series of fronts will bring more rain,
thunderstorms and snow to the western parts of both islands during the weekend...
Later in the day snow closed several South Island roads... and ice closed
the Desert Road in the North Island. The Mountain Safety Council has issued
warnings of extreme avalanche risks for Arthur's Pass, Mt Cook and Westland
National Parks... on ranges in Taranaki, near Queenstown and on Mt Ruapehu
and Mt Hutt. The avalanche risk in the Wanaka and Craigieburn ranges was
also considerable. [...]

If it's the weekend, it must be raining NZ Herald Updated Monday
August 18, 2008
Despite the start of spring being just a few weeks away, rain, rain and more
rain is forecast for Auckland this week.
MetService expected a mix of showers and fine spells, with cool, gusty southwesterly
winds from today until Wednesday... Meanwhile, the wintry weather has been
biting in the South Island. The MetService yesterday warned farmers to monitor
vulnerable stock and drivers to take care on the roads as a cold front was
expected to bring more snow to the South Island over the next few days... MetService forecaster Mark Pascoe said up to 20cm of snow could
fall as low as 300m above sea level with eastern parts of Otago copping it
this morning before the Banks Peninsula get their turn later today... Further
north, the Desert Rd is set to get a blanket of up to 4cm of snow at the
summit today and more could fall tonight. The Radio
Network's weather analyst Philip Duncan said a low "the size of Australia"
was still passing over New Zealand. [...]

Massive snow dump creates problems for North
Island tooNZ Herald Monday August
18, 2008
The North Island is now feeling the effects of the huge snow dump which has
created hazardous conditions in the Southern Alps. The Department of Conservation
has issued avalanche warnings for the Tongariro National Park, including
the popular Tongariro Crossing walking track... DOC's warning follows a rough
weekend in the South Island where nine people were rescued from mountain
areas which were hazardous, and alpine safety experts have spoken out about
foolhardy expeditions into the backcountry... Mountain Safety Council avalanche
programme manager Steve Schreiber said the tourists were foolish and needlessly
endangered the lives of their rescuers. [...]

Weather woes hit AMP's big tower NZ Herald Monday August 25, 2008Weeks of windy, wet weather have slowed work
on AMP NZ Office Trust's redevelopment of its large office tower at the foot
of Queen St in Auckland. Rob Lang, ANZO chief executive,
said the job was running two months behind.Instead of the building being ready by next
July, it would not now be finished until September, he said... The $80 million job to refurbish and extend the building to become
a 17-level structure is the city's largest makeover and has seen ANZO add
upper levels to what was once called Downtown House. By the time work is
finished, the trust will have spent $112 million on the tower: purchase costs
and upgrading it. [...]

Houses evacuated, livestock killed, roads shut
in big wet NZ Herald Tuesday August
26, 2008
A north Canterbury settlement has been evacuated after the Kahutara River
burst its banks. Canterbury Emergency Coordination Centre Civil Defence duty
officer Andrew Howe said the river had not entered the Peketa settlement,
just south of Kaikoura, but emergency services were advising residents to
evacuate due to the threat of a flood. Eight to 10 houses had been evacuated
by residents... Water supply to Amberley and other parts of the Hurunui district
was likely to be out for a week and tankers were being organised to bring
in clean water, Mr Howe said. Farmers were coping well with the weather though
some lambs had been lost, he said. There were a number of road closures in
North Canterbury, particularly along the Coastal Highway and Lewis Pass was
the only way north. [...]

Storm bill in millions this winterThe Press | Tuesday, 26 August 2008South
Island councils, roading agencies and insurers face multimillion-dollar bills for winter
storms, with the cost of damage from the latest North Canterbury deluge
still to be counted. New Zealand Transport Agency
area managers said winter maintenance costs had doubled this year, and $1.5
million damage had been caused to State Highway 1 from Marlborough south... New Zealand Insurance Council chief
executive Chris Ryan said there was a provisional cost of $50m for this winter's
storms across New Zealand, but claims continued to roll in. The destruction in the South Island started
on July 31 when a savage storm crossed Cook Strait and ripped through Marlborough,
Nelson and the West Coast. High winds felled an estimated
2000ha of Nelson's plantation forests, cut the city's water supply and blasted
the West Coast. Heavy rain led to flooding in parts
of Picton and Blenheim before it drenched North Canterbury, causing slips,
closing State Highway 1 in several places and flooding beach settlements.
Two weeks later, the biggest snowstorm in
decades hit the upper South Island, closing highways, cutting power in rural
Tasman, causing avalanches. [...]

Flood clean-up begins - again
The Press | Wednesday, 27 August 2008A massive clean-up operation is under way this
morning after two days of rain left a path of destruction in North Canterbury
and along the east coast from Cheviot to Picton. SH1
between Cheviot and Picton has been closed by up to 30 slips and residents
in towns along the coast face a big clean up after up to three months worth of rain fell in 24
hours and left widespread surface flooding. Kaikoura is still isolated by slips and Cheviot is facing about
a week without drinking water after a main pipe was washed out... In North Canterbury the raging Eyre River
claimed up to 100 dairy cows in North Canterbury early yesterday when a bridge
approach was washed away... Meanwhile, sodden South
Islanders can dry out during an overdue break in the weather today as North
Canterbury and Kaikoura residents count the cost of ruined roads and flooded
farmland. MetService yesterday lifted severe-weather
warnings for the region after heavy rain hammered the districts with more
than two months' average rainfall in two days. [...]

Three minutes to quit when slip hitsNZ Herald Wednesday August
27, 2008
Engineers gave Glyn Alsop and Cheryl Coats just three minutes to grab everything
they needed and get out of their North Shore home. The newly renovated Albany
Highway house was one of three properties that had to be evacuated on Monday
night after flooding caused 50,000 tonnes of dirt to give way. The Earthquake
Commission said it might be weeks before the area is deemed safe and residents
are allowed to return. But it may be longer for Mr Alsop and Ms Coats because
their water tank, their only water source, tumbled several metres down the
hill and they don't know how they will retrieve it. The drama began about
6pm when Mr Alsop, who has lived at the house for more than 20 years, walked
out his back door and noticed his backyard had "disappeared". [...]

Repeat flooding adds insult to injuryNZ Herald Wednesday August
27, 2008Weary residents face their second big clean-up
on flooded properties in a month as days of heavy rain caused chaos across
the South Island. The flooding across the top half
of the island yesterday forced evacuations, cut off towns and water supplies,
while numerous slips blocked roads and surface flooding was widespread. For Rose Tierney, the thought of her new home being flooded for
a second time was almost too much to bear. The
Herald first met Ms Tierney when she and her son and boarder were
forced to evacuate as floodwaters poured through their house and possessions
in Amberley Beach, North Canterbury, on July 31. Since
then they had been stuck in a motel waiting for the home to dry out and be
refitted. But in the last couple of days, as floodwaters
returned with a vengeance, Ms Tierney ventured back to anxiously watch as
the waters spilling over from the local lagoon flooded her section and shed,
and threatened to enter her house again. [...]

Sewerage drives families from their homes The Dominion Post | Wednesday, 27 August 2008
Sewerage overflow has driven two Masterton families from their homes as
heavy rain continues to cause widespread flooding in Wairarapa. Surface flooding
has swamped paddocks and roads throughout the region though the worst hit
area is southern Wairarapa, where roads have been closed. The Waihenga Bridge
over the Ruamahanga River on State Highway 53 at Martinborough is still closed.
Pukio West Rd and Pahautea roads are also impassable. Masterton District
Council emergency management officer Paul Walker said torrential rain over
the past 36 hours had put pressure on the town's sewerage system. [...]

Climate change not to blame for stormsThe Press | Wednesday, 27 August 2008Winter storms have been crashing on to New
Zealand like waves on a beach over the past few months, leaving death, destruction,
havoc and exhaustion in their wake. This week's low-pressure
system has brought more flooding to an already saturated North Canterbury
and Kaikoura coast, less than four weeks after the deluge from arguably the
worst storm of the winter. There are signs this incredible
run of dirty weather is about to end and that we could be in for a settled
and dry summer... Blue Skies
Weather director Tony Trewinnard said that while the string of winter storms
was unusual, it was not the result of climate change... National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research principal
climate scientist Jim Renwick said it was too soon to say climate change was having
an effect... Renwick agreed there had not been
much warming in the past decade.[...]COMMENT: see TWM's comments on Climate change in New Zealand.

Major land slip still not safe NZ Herald Saturday August
30, 2008
Residents of Kawakawa Bay, on Auckland's south-eastern coast, are waiting
anxiously to see if a major slip blocking their main access road will slip
further and take houses with it. A handful of residents have been evacuated
as a precaution, while engineers determine what the moving slab of land is
going to do. The landslide, described as "no ordinary slip", has already
closed the main coastal road at Turei Hill, just north of the Kawakawa Bay
settlement.
Following heavy rain in July about 500 cubic metres fell on the road on Sunday.
Slips continued throughout this week and yesterday the major slip moved about
45mm over 12 hours. The Manukau City Council has now pulled out its workers
because of safety concerns and senior council executive Rick Walden has warned
people not even to walk along the beach in front of the slip site.

South to bear brunt of wild weather NZ Herald Sunday August 31, 2008
Southland and Otago are expected to bear the brunt of the next stormy weather
system to hit New Zealand. MetService forecasters are warning an active front
will move over the South Island tomorrow and become slow moving over Westland
on Tuesday. It is expected to bring heavy rain to the Southern Alps and Westland.
In Fiordland, up to 120mm of rain is expected to fall in the 15 hours from
midday Monday. However, over Westland the rain may continue until Wednesday,
with more than 400mm forecast to fall in the hills in the 48 hours from Monday
afternoon. The "spillover" effect of the rain is likely to reach the headwaters
of Canterbury and Otago rivers and lakes on Tuesday and Wednesday. Winds
are also expected to reach gale or severe gale over parts of Southland and
Otago on Monday. [...]

Landslip victims threatening to sueNZ Herald Thursday September 04, 2008Legal action may be taken by a group of Bucklands Beach
residents - including former Manukau City mayor Sir Barry Curtis - after
a series of landslips forced them out of their homes. Following a dramatic landslip at the weekend, residents living
in clifftop homes between 114 and 118 Clovelly Rd in East Auckland's Bucklands
Beach were forced to evacuate. Sir Barry - who moved
into his flat in 2004 - said cracks first started to appear on the side of
the building almost a year later, in mid 2005... Although damage to the buildings was first identified by residents
as early as 2005, Mr Walden acknowledged that the council was made aware
of the situation only on Monday, following the volatile landslip at the weekend.
[...]

More homes threatened by slip evacuatedNZ HeraldFriday
September 05, 2008
Three more families have been evacuated from their homes in Bucklands Beach,
as a cliff face threatens to fall on top of them. Following a major landslip
in East Auckland's Clovelly Rd at the weekend, residents of three properties
- including former Manukau City mayor Sir Barry Curtis - living on the clifftop
were evacuated because of dangerous conditions.
The area has since been cordoned off and locals have been warned to stay
away. Yesterday, Manukau City Council ordered the other three families to
move out as council's geotechnical advisers warned that when the cliff face
does fall, the slip could come close to the three properties. [...]

Heavy rain for east coast NZ Herald Monday September 08, 2008
Bursts of heavy rain are set to batter the Coromandel Peninsula, Bay of Plenty
and the northern ranges of Gisborne today. MetService has issued a severe
weather warning saying up to 60ml of rain could fall in the space of six
hours.
Forecaster Erick Brenstrum said the ranges of the Bay of Plenty and areas
north of Ruatoria could get 20mm in an hour.
He said the ranges of Nelson will also get heavy rain of up to 60ml between
11am and 6pm today. [...]

Wet weather sends food prices soaring - biggest
hike in 19 years NZ Herald Thursday September
11, 2008
Food prices rose 2.7 per cent in August,
the largest monthly increase in 19 years, Statistics New Zealand (SNZ)
said today. The last time food prices rose at a faster rate was the 3.8 per
cent rise in July 1989, when the rate of GST increased from 10 per cent to
12.5 per cent. A key factor in
the August price rise was unusually wet weather which hampered growing
conditions for vegetables.[...]

Flood recovery could take yearsThe Gisborne HeraldWednesday, 1 October 2008
The storm damage caused to North Canterbury farms during the winter is expected
to take years to repair. Flooding caused millions
of dollars worth of damage in July and August. Chris
Sundstrum, the president of North Canterbury Federated Farmers, says although
farmers have started the clean up, slips have destroyed many tracks and fences.
He estimates the patch up work will take around
four to five months but there will be ongoing issues. Some land will never
be able to be used as pasture again and may have to be planted with trees.
Mr Sundstrum says farmers are feeling the strain
financially as many are still recovering from last summer's drought when
the flooding struck.

UPDATES:

27.12.08

Winter storms create $300m insurance billNZ Herald Saturday Dec
27, 2008
Raging winter storms that plagued the country, causing more than 200 slips in Auckland, cost
insurance companies $300 million in claims this year - $50 million more than 2007. Brutal weather
was blamed for the loss of at least four lives, towns were cut off as roads
flooded and tens of thousands of households were left without power... Mr Ryan estimated more $300 million worth of weather-related insurance
claims were made this year compared with $250 million in 2007. He said that
amount showed a steady rise from previous years but was not as large as 2004
when a single storm in February in the Manawatu saw $130 million in claims.
The widespread rain dump of more than 280mm was the region's worst recorded
and drove more than 1000 people from their homes. The country had also been
spared floods as large as the Far North deluges in February and March last
year which spurred evacuations, swept away buildings, trapped residents,
closed roads and cut power, costing insurers $12.5 million. Mr Ryan said
2008 had seen "more frequent storms rather than just singular, large ones."...
Weather-related claims are the biggest
New Zealand insurance companies face annually. Single claims for earthquake-related
damage are generally the largest but flooding is more common.

13.01.09
Mix of storms and drought leaves Kiwis with $1b billNZ Herald Tuesday Jan
13, 2009Last year's
topsy-turvy weather cost the country at least $1 billion. A National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research report
due this afternoon is expected to show the mix of drought and storms took
a heavy financial toll. The Herald understands the
impact of drought on the dairy industry accounted for most of the cost. But a wet and stormy winter that wreaked havoc in July and August
also had a heavy financial toll. At least four lives were lost, floods cut
off towns and tens of thousands of households were left without power. Hundreds
of people had minutes to gather important possessions before evacuating their
homes. The report is expected to show winter rainfall
was about one and a half times above average in Auckland, Waikato, Bay of
Plenty, Taranaki, Manawatu and Wellington, and more than double the norm
in Marlborough and Canterbury... The $1 billion
total compares to about $800 million caused by the weather in 2006.